NEVADA – Ex-strip dancer convicted in HOA scheme

A federal jury convicted a former Strip dancer Wednesday of lying about her role in the massive scheme to take over and defraud Las Vegas-area homeowners associations.

Following a three-day trial, the jury took roughly an hour to find Stephanie Markham guilty of three felony counts — making a false statement to the FBI, perjury before a federal grand jury and obstruction of justice.

U.S. District Judge James Mahan set Markham’s sentencing for Jan. 5.

Markham, 57, showed no emotion as the verdict was read, and her lawyer, Robert Langford, said afterward he was considering an appeal.

Markham, who once danced in the Lido de Paris production show at the Stardust and with famed magicians Siegfried & Roy, turned down a deal to plead guilty and took to the Internet to raise money for her defense. She collected more than $5,000 to, as she put it, “fight the big guys vigorously.”

She was the last defendant in what is regarded as the largest public corruption case federal authorities have brought in Southern Nevada. A total of 42 other defendants either pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.

The investigation, which lasted nearly eight years, was overseen by the Justice Department’s Fraud Section in Washington. It became public in September 2008 when the FBI, Las Vegas police and IRS conducted valley-wide raids.Read more: